🇬🇪 Since 2012, Georgian Dream, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, has been accused of using undemocratic tactics to stay in power.
With the October 2024 elections approaching, their manipulative strategies are in full swing.
🧵Here’s how they’re doing it ...
1/24
First, Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili know that if they do not retain power after the election in October, they will be in serious trouble.
Ivanishvili has already mentioned the fate of Ukraine’s Viktor Yanukovych.
He doesn’t want to be the next Yanukovych.
2/24
Their actions and willingness to exercise extreme power must be seen in this light.
For them, the thought of losing is terrifying.
They are desperate.
They use all means to ensure that the opposition loses:
3/24
📊 Control Over Election Administration:
Amendments to the Election Code, supposedly aligning with EU standards, are concerning. The new process for appointing the Central Election Commission (CEC) Chair and members lacks transparency, keeping control in Georgian Dream’s hands.
4/24 civil.ge/archives/610396
💼 CEC Appointments:
The restructuring of the CEC allows the ruling party to exert influence over appointments. Critics argue this leads to a biased election administration, ensuring decisions favor Georgian Dream.
5/24
🤐 Lack of Transparency and Inclusiveness:
Opposition parties and civil society were largely excluded from drafting these amendments. This exclusion isn’t just an oversight; it’s a deliberate attempt to stifle dissent and keep control.
6/24
📺 Media and Civil Society Clampdown:
Introducing laws like the “Foreign Agents” law, modeled after Russia’s, to suppress NGOs and media. This is a clear move to silence critics and opposition voices, reducing their ability to mobilize and inform the public.
7/24
🗳 Manipulation of Electoral Processes:
Georgian Dream has a history of fraud, from voter intimidation to ballot stuffing. The 2020 elections were marred by such irregularities.
Expect more of the same in 2024.
8/24
🗺 Gerrymandering and Voter Suppression:
Georgian Dream has manipulated district boundaries to dilute opposition support. In regions where opposition parties have strong backing, redistricting has split these areas to weaken their voting power.
9/24 researchgate.net/publication/35…
📉 Reducing Opposition Turnout:
Tactics like closing polling stations in opposition strongholds or scheduling elections on inconvenient dates etc. aim to reduce voter turnout where opposition support is high. This undermines the democratic process and skews results.
10/24
🗳 Specific Examples:
In the 2020 elections, polling stations in opposition-heavy areas like Zugdidi and Kutaisi faced logistical issues and closures, reducing voter access. Such measures are designed to frustrate and disenfranchise opposition voters.
11/24
🌍 Diaspora Voters:
Georgian Dream has made it difficult for diaspora voters to participate. Limited polling stations, bureaucratic hurdles, and misinformation campaigns all serve to disenfranchise Georgians abroad who might vote against them.
12/24 caucasuswatch.de/en/news/disput…
🏢 Limited Polling Stations:
In the 2020 elections, there were very few polling stations abroad, especially in countries with large Georgian communities.
This was no accident; it’s a calculated move to reduce opposition votes.
13/24
🔒 Security Concerns and Intimidation:
Diaspora voters have reported intimidation and pressure, particularly those vocal about their opposition to Georgian Dream. This includes threats against their families back in Georgia.
14/24
🗣 Manipulation of Overseas Vote Counting:
The vote counting process abroad is often opaque, leading to accusations of tampering. Ensuring transparency in counting is critical, but Georgian Dream seems to prefer the shadows.
15/24
🚨 Rigging:
The combination of these tactics illustrates a concerted effort by Georgian Dream and Bidzina Ivanishvili to manipulate the electoral system. Understanding these strategies is crucial for advocating fair and transparent elections in Georgia - this October.
16/24
🔎 State Media Propaganda:
State-run media frequently broadcasts biased content supporting Georgian Dream while discrediting opposition. This propaganda machine shapes public opinion and diminishes fair electoral competition.
17/24
🛑 Civil Society Resistance:
NGOs and civil society groups are tirelessly working to expose these tactics and demand fair elections. Their efforts are crucial for maintaining democratic integrity. This is the main motivation for GD and Ivanishvili to implement the “Russian Law.”
18/24 france24.com/en/live-news/2…
🎓 Impact on Youth:
Young Georgians, eager for EU integration and democratic reforms, are particularly disillusioned by these tactics. Many are actively protesting and advocating for fair elections. They are still the hope for change this October.
19/24
🔄 Historical Context:
Georgian Dream has a track record of electoral manipulation. Past elections have seen similar tactics, and the 2024 elections are set to continue this pattern. Their dominance in social media disinformation ad to this.
20/24
📢 Spread the Word:
It’s essential to raise awareness about these issues. Share this thread to inform others about the critical situation in Georgia and the fight for democracy.
21/24
✊ Stay Informed and Act:
The future of Georgia’s democracy depends on informed citizens and international support. Let’s stand together for fair and transparent elections.
22/24
We are fighting against a pro-Russian party with unlimited resources that has corrupted an entire country and a pro-Russian oligarch who has everything to lose.
They will use any means - legal, treasonous, and violent - to ensure victory in October.
We have to stop them!
23/24
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🇬🇪BREAKING! The BBC @BBC is funding authoritarian propaganda in Georgia.
Its commercial arm, BBC Studios, licenses Dancing with the Stars to Imedi TV, a Georgian Dream-controlled channel that openly admits its mission is to keep the opposition out of power.
🧵A dance dive:
1/11
Imedi TV is not an independent broadcaster. It is a Russian-style propaganda machine for Georgia’s extreme ruling party. Its owner, Irakli Rukhadze, is a UK-based mini-oligarch and a close ally of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Kremlin-linked billionaire who controls Georgia.
2/11
Imedi doesn’t dominate the airwaves because of its news coverage—Georgians don’t trust its journalism very much. Instead, its audience is built on entertainment programming. And at the center of that? The BBC-licensed "Dancing with the Stars".
3/11
🇺🇦🇺🇸Trump’s lies and despicable statements about Ukraine aren’t just embarrassing—they’re isolating him and the U.S. on the world stage.
While he pushes Kremlin propaganda, Europe is moving on without Washington.
The U.S. is now weaker and more irrelevant than ever.
A thread 🧵:
For the first time in modern history, Europe no longer trusts the U.S. as a reliable partner.
When Trump gutted NATO in his first term, it was seen as reckless. Now? Allies are actively preparing for a world where Washington doesn’t matter.
Even inside the U.S., Trump’s isolationism is creating fractures.
Pro-Ukraine Republicans know abandoning Kyiv would be disastrous. Trump’s actions turn America inward—leaving Europe to take full control of the West’s security strategy.
🇬🇪Munich ’25 was a wake-up call. The US is no longer a reliable partner for Europe.
Hegseth betrayed Ukraine🇺🇦, suggesting it should cede land and drop NATO
VP Vance declared that Russia isn’t Europe’s main threat.
🧵Europe must act. And Georgia is the battlefield where we start
For too long, Europe has reacted to crises instead of controlling them.
Now, with US disengagement, Europe must take the offensive—economically, politically, and strategically. We must shape the future.
The fastest, most effective move?
A decisive European-led victory in Georgia
Georgia isn’t just a small country—it’s a strategic battlefield.
✔️ A frontline against Russian influence
✔️ A key energy corridor for Europe
✔️ A test of European strength
A win in Georgia means: saving Georgians, hurting Putin, and proving Europe can lead.
3/17
🇬🇪Western diplomats must recognize a hard truth: any symbolic recognition—whether intentional or not—emboldens the Georgian Dream (GD) regime.
🧵Recent missteps show how GD exploits these moments to fake legitimacy while doubling down on repression.
1/10
Take Alain Berset’s visit to Tbilisi in December. The Council of Europe Secretary General claimed he secured “concessions” on GD’s Russian-style Foreign Agents Law. But this week, GD made its position clear: no amendments. Berset was played. @alain_berset coe.int/en/web/portal/…
By engaging on GD’s terms, Berset gave the regime an unearned diplomatic win—one they weaponized to project legitimacy. And when scrutiny passed, they reversed course, proving once again that negotiations with an entrenched autocracy are futile. @coe
3/10 civil.ge/archives/661247
🇬🇪Imedi TV is not just biased—it’s a "machine of evil", built to manipulate, silence, and control.
Under Georgian Dream, it has transformed into a Russian-style propaganda weapon, crushing dissent and distorting reality.
🧵Here are firsthand accounts from those who escaped.
This thread is based on powerful reporting by @OCMediaorg, featuring testimonies from journalists who escaped Imedi’s grip. Their accounts expose how Georgian Dream has weaponized media to maintain power. Full credit to their work.
2/15 oc-media.org/a-cog-in-the-m…
Imedi’s stated goal? Prevent the opposition from ever returning to power. Journalists who defected describe it as a regime tool, spreading disinformation, vilifying critics, and advancing Ivanishvili’s interests—at the cost of Georgia’s democracy.
3/15
🇬🇪Georgian Dream (GD) just unveiled a barrage of new repressive laws that will further dismantle democracy and centralize power.
The road to authoritarian rule is no longer a possibility—it’s the plan.
🧵A breakdown of Georgia’s descent into dictatorship. 👇 1/21
Self-proclaimed leader Mdinaradze framed the changes as necessary to remove “inefficient” laws and replace them with tools that give the government “real leverage.” What does this mean in practice? Criminalizing dissent, silencing opposition, and total control.
2/21
The changes are designed to crush protests and free speech, and shield officials from accountability:
🔹Public calls for violence now carry a prison sentence of up to 3 yrs
🔹“Insulting officials” becomes a punishable offense
🔹Administrative detention extended from 15 to 60 days